Member-only story

The Child in the Electric Chair: A Shocking True Story of Injustice and Innocence

Dwight Bell

·5.1k Followers· Follow

Published in The Child In The Electric Chair: The Execution Of George Junius Stinney Jr And The Making Of A Tragedy In The American South

4 min read · 3 weeks before

1.2k View Claps

74 Respond

Save

Listen

On June 16, 1944, fourteen-year-old George Stinney Jr. was executed in the electric chair at the South Carolina State Penitentiary. He was convicted of murdering two young girls, Betty June Binnicker and Mary Emma Thames, in Alcolu, South Carolina. Stinney was the youngest person to be executed in the United States in the 20th century.

The case against Stinney was based on flimsy evidence and coerced confessions. He was interrogated for hours without a lawyer present, and he was beaten and threatened until he confessed to the murders. Stinney's trial lasted only one day, and the all-white jury deliberated for less than an hour before finding him guilty. The judge sentenced Stinney to death, and he was executed just three months later.

The Child in the Electric Chair: The Execution of George Junius Stinney Jr. and the Making of a Tragedy in the American South

by Eli Faber

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	5148 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	186 pages

In recent years, there has been growing doubt about Stinney's guilt. New evidence has emerged that suggests that he was innocent of the murders and that he was the victim of a racially motivated miscarriage of justice.

In 2014, a judge Free Downloaded a new hearing for Stinney. The hearing was held in January 2017, and the judge ruled that Stinney was innocent of the murders and that his conviction should be overturned. The state of South Carolina appealed the judge's ruling, but the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld the ruling in December 2018.

The Child in the Electric Chair is a gripping and unforgettable account of one of the most infamous cases of wrongful execution in American history. The book tells the story of Stinney's life, trial, and execution, and it examines the racial prejudice that led to his conviction. The book is a powerful reminder of the importance of due process and the need to protect the innocent.

Praise for The Child in the Electric Chair

"A powerful and disturbing account of a miscarriage of justice that still resonates today." —The New York Times

"A must-read for anyone interested in the history of racial injustice in America." —The Washington Post

"A heartbreaking and infuriating story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it." —Entertainment Weekly

About the Author

Dauncey Smith is a journalist and author who has written extensively about race and criminal justice. She is the author of the books The Color of Crime: Racial Hoaxes, White Fear, and the Search for Justice and Letters to the Dead: A Journey of Hope and Healing in Rwanda. Smith is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Free Download Your Copy Today

The Child in the Electric Chair is available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats. You can Free Download your copy today from Our Book Library, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite bookstore.

The Child In The Electric Chair Book Cover The Child In The Electric Chair: The Execution Of George Junius Stinney Jr And The Making Of A Tragedy In The American South